Cold Water Swimming

Thinking about taking up cold water swimming but want to make sure you have all the facts?

Cold water swimming is in water which is 16°C or less. Extreme cold is less than 10°C. Our article Medical Benefits of Open (Cold) Water Swimming, outlines the physical and mental benefits of cold water swimming. But what do you need to know to become a cold water swimmer?

The Outdoor Swimming Society have all the information you need. They have a broad range of articles with advice from experts about the effects, benefits, and risks of cold-water swimming.

Recently, the OSS published an article by Dr Heather Massey called How to Acclimatise to Cold Water, which is a beginners guide to the adaptation response that takes place in channel and ice swimmers, meaning they can survive water temperatures that would kill a novice. The article explains how to dull the cold shock response, explains Hypothermia and the best ways to rewarm.

Their article titled 6 Tips For Cold Water Swimming, will fill you in on what happens to your body when you are immersed in cold water and tips for ensuring you have an enjoyable dip!

And their article with the seemingly scary title Cold Incapacitation, leads us in to the risks a cold water swimmer will probably encounter, what happens to your body and how you can avoid Cold Incapacitation.

The Outdoor Swimming Society have a plentiful directory of interesting reads on their website, along with some great tips and advice on sea swimming, river and lake swimming as well as tips to get started and very importantly, how to survive! Enjoy the read!

Sea Lanes will help return Madeira Drive to its former glory by building the National Open Water Swimming Centre